MOUNTING REPTILES, ETC. 99 



etc., wound on the bones must be very smooth. 

 The attitudes of all this class of animals are apt to 

 be stiff and ungainly even in life ; but by putting a 

 bend or two into the tail, turning the head, or 

 slightly curving the body, too much rigidness 

 may be avoided. 



Section II.: Mounting Turtles. — To re- 

 move the skin from a turtle, cut away a square 

 portion of the under shell, using a small saw for 

 this purpose. Then remove the softer portion 

 through this hole, and draw out the legs and head 

 as in mammals ; but the top of the head cannot be 

 skinned over. In mounting proceed as nearly as 

 possible as in mammals, only the legs may be filled 

 with clay or plaster in small specimens. Care 

 should be taken not to fill the skin too full ; but 

 let the wrinkles show, as seen in life, and imitated 

 as nearly as possible. 



The shell of the soft-shelled turtle, like the 

 leather-back, is quite difficult to keep in good 

 condition — is apt to become distorted in drying, 

 The only method which has occurred to me is to 

 cover the body, and exposed under portions, with 

 layers of plaster, which will keep the shell in 

 position until it is dry, when it may be removed. 



Section III. : Mounting Fishes. — Fishes are 



